Center console for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A center console is raised to form a built-in box-shaped part between the backs of passenger vehicle front seats, this box shaped part serving to receive built-in devices that can be operated from the rear seats. This raised area is configured as a supporting element between backs of the front seats in such fashion that the side walls are reinforced with lightweight metal shells connected with one another by cross braces.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a center console for a motor vehicle,especially an automobile, said console having a raised area in the shapeof a box between the backs of the front seats to accommodate built-inmodules associated with the rear seats, with the lateral areas of theseat backs being located only a short distance from the side walls ofsaid modules.

A center console of this type is known from the French Utility Modelwith Publication Number 25 81 598. In that document, the space betweenthe front seats has been used to provide a sort of built-in cabinet asan extension of the console, in which air nozzles for cooling thepassengers seated in the rear, loudspeakers, a radio or telephone, andoperating elements for locking the doors for example are incorporated,said devices being operable by the rear-seat passengers since they arelocated in the rear wall facing the rear seats.

On the other hand, it is known to provide protective measures to protectvehicle occupants in rear-end collisions as well as in the event oflateral impacts, said measures consisting for example in a reinforcementof the doors or also (German Patent Document DE 42 07 253 A1) in theprovision of a gas bag inflatable between the occupants upon impact.

An object of the present invention is to improve the safety of thevehicle occupants in the event of a lateral impact without costlyadditional measures being required.

Taking its departure from the knowledge that center consoles of thespecies recited at the outset can be used to reinforce the seat backareas of the front seats against lateral compression, the inventionrecognizes that the side walls of the box-shaped area can be reinforcedand connected together by cross braces to create a protective elementthat effectively supports the seat backs of the front seats in the eventof a lateral impact on the vehicle.

In especially preferred embodiments of the invention, provision is madesuch that the side walls of the box-shaped area are reinforced withlightweight metal shells in the adjusting area of the seat back bracing.These shells in turn can be made slightly convex to protect them againstbending and be provided on their inwardly directed surfaces withreinforcing ribs. These lightweight metal shells can be injected intothe impact resistant plastic of the console.

In especially preferred embodiments of the invention, the cross bracesbetween the lightweight metal shells that reinforce the side walls arearranged so that they are located in the parting planes of the storageareas located in the center console, in other words, for example, in theseparating area between the central storage compartment, like thatalready known, and between the storage compartments accessible from therear, into which the modular additional devices mentioned at the outsetcan be inserted.

In especially preferred embodiments of the invention, the centralstorage compartment is also designed so that it is surrounded laterallyby hollow spaces. If the hollow spaces extend into the box-shaped areabetween the seat backs, the stability and supporting effect of thecenter console can be increased as a result. In an improvement on theinvention, however, these hollow spaces can also be designed as airducts to supply a discharge nozzle located in the box-shaped area, saidprovision being accomplished by simply closing off the hollow spaces,initially open at the bottom, by a foam body inserted from below. Inthis design it is also possible to shape the inserted foam bodies asdeflecting walls for guiding the air so that the air is guided upward inthe vicinity of the box-shaped area to the air outlet nozzle that isalso located in the upper area.

In especially preferred embodiments of the invention, the walls of thehollow spaces that face the central storage compartment can be providedwith a window so that it is also possible to conduct cooled air flowingpast, laterally through the air ducts for example, into the storagecompartment as well in order to air-condition the latter.

In one especially advantageous improvement according to preferredembodiments of the invention, in a vehicle with a center tunnel,provision is made such that the side walls provided with lightweightmetal shells can project downward beyond the box-shaped area of theconsole and be connected permanently with the side walls of the centertunnel. This measure ensures an especially good supporting effectbecause the center tunnel is also used to reinforce the support of theseat backs of the front seats against one another.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective drawing of the front seats of anautomobile, with a center console located between them, constructedaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section through a central plane of the console according toFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross section through the center console of FIG. 2along line III--III; FIG. 4 is a lengthwise section similar to FIG. 2but along sectioning plane IV--IV in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a lengthwise section similar to FIG. 4 but along sectioningplane V--V in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, the two seat backs (1) of two front seats (2) are shownschematically, between which seats a center console (3) extends, saidconsole extending in known fashion up to the front dashboard. Centerconsole (3), in its area located between seat backs (1), assumes abox-shaped structure (3a) that extends upward, said structure servingfirstly in known fashion to receive storage compartments shown in FIGS.2 and 3, but serving primarily as a supporting element between seatbacks (1), which as a result, in the event of a lateral impact on thevehicle, are prevented from tilting against one another and into thevehicle interior.

For this purpose, as shown schematically, each of the two side walls (4)of box-shaped area (3a) of center console (3) is provided with areinforcing insert in the form of a lightweight metal shell (5), andthese two lightweight metal shells (5) are connected together by crossbraces (6 and 7) to form a supporting supporting element located betweenseat backs (1) and overlap their adjusting area approximately.Supporting element (6) is then designed as a continuous supporting tubethat abuts lightweight metal shells (5). Supporting element (7) islikewise designed as a type of hollow beam whose exact structure howeveris better shown in detail in FIG. 2. Both supporting elements (6 and 7)are arranged so that they are located in the separating area between thestorage compartments that can be located in box-shaped area (3a) or inthe portion of center console (3) located ahead of said area. Thelightweight metal shells (5) of the side walls of box-shaped area (3a)also have their areas (5a) extending downward over the structuralelement that is placed on a center tunnel (8) of the vehicle, and areconnected with the side walls of center tunnel (8).

It is clear from FIG. 2 that a central storage compartment (9) islocated in center console (3), said compartment in this embodiment beingcovered by inserted foam walls (10) and by foam insulation (11) providedon the underside of a lid (12) that can be raised by a hinge (13). Thiscentral storage compartment (see also FIG. 3) is delimited on both sidesby hollow spaces (14) formed by virtue of the fact that outside wall(15) provided with lightweight metal shells (5), said outside wallconsisting of impact-resistant plastic, in which the lightweight metalshell (5) is embedded, makes a transition through an upper connectingpiece (16) to an inside wall (17) that extends up to bottom (18) ofconsole (3). Console (3) rests on center tunnel (8) by this bottom (18).The hollow spaces (14) which are then open at the bottom are closed offat the bottom by inserted foam bodies (19), whose design can be seen inFIG. 5. This double-walled structure lends the center console a gooddegree of strength which is even further improved, primarily in thelateral areas, by the inserted lightweight metal shells (5). FIGS. 2 and4 show that these lightweight metal shells (5) (see also FIG. 3) areequipped with reinforcing ribs (20) that face hollow space (14), saidribs also optionally being complemented by ribs that run crosswise butare not shown, to form a honeycomb structure, to increase stability.

FIG. 2 shows that beam-type reinforcing elements (6 and 7) each extendin areas where the separation between central storage compartment (9)and an upper storage compartment (21) or a built-in compartment (22)located further down is provided. The two storage compartments (21 and22) open to the rear, into the back seat compartment.

Hollow spaces (14) in the embodiment shown form air ducts delimited atthe bottom by inserted foam bodies (19). Foam bodies (19) have a greaterheight in their rear areas so that the air duct leads upward to an airoutlet nozzle (23) located in area (3a). The air duct is limited at thetop by wall (16) which, together with inserted foam bodies (19), formsan S--shaped surface in order to ensure air guidance along arrows (24)from the ventilation device, not shown, located in the forward part ofthe vehicle, to outlet nozzle (23).

FIG. 5 shows (as does FIG. 2) that in inside wall (17) of air duct (14),and of course also in molding (10) located therein, a window (25) isprovided which thus creates a connection between air duct (14) andcentral storage compartment (9). Air-conditioned, especially cooled air,can therefore reach central storage compartment (9) which, since it islined by insulation, can serve advantageously as a cooling compartment.

As a result of the design according to the invention, an area is createdbetween backs (1) of the front seats which, in addition to serving toaccommodate assemblies or storage compartments, also can serve as asupporting element for the seat back braces, not shown. This designmakes a key contribution to increasing the safety of the passengersriding in the front seats.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, itis to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration andexample, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit andscope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. Center console assembly for a passenger motorvehicle having a pair of spaced apart front seats which each have seatbacks with seat back side walls facing respective opposite lateral sidesof a center console, comprising:a plurality of vertically spaced hollowbeam cross braces extending between opposite lateral sides of the centerconsole and serving to transfer lateral impact forces on the vehiclebetween the respective seat backs.
 2. Center console assembly accordingto claim 1, wherein the lateral sides of the center console are formedwith console side walls, andwherein the side walls are reinforced bylightweight metal shells.
 3. Center console assembly according to claim2, wherein the lightweight metal shells are made slightly convex and areprovided with reinforcing ribs on their inwardly directed areas. 4.Center console according to claim 2, wherein the lightweight metalshells are embedded in impact-resistant plastic of the console sidewalls.
 5. Center console assembly according to claim 1, wherein thecenter console includes a central storage compartment surroundedlaterally by hollow spaces.
 6. Center console assembly according toclaim 5, wherein the hollow spaces are designed as air ducts to supplyan outlet nozzle located at the center console.
 7. Center consoleassembly according to claim 6, wherein the hollow spaces are downwardlyopen, andwherein the air ducts are closed off by foam bodies insertedunder the hollow spaces at the bottom.
 8. Center console assemblyaccording to claim 7, wherein the foam bodies are designed as deflectingwalls to guide air.
 9. Center console assembly according to claim 5,wherein walls of the hollow spaces facing the central storagecompartment are provided with windows.
 10. Center console assemblyaccording to claim 2, wherein a center tunnel is provided, and whereinthe console side walls reinforced by the lightweight metal shells extenddownward beyond box-shaped area of the console and are permanentlyconnected with side walls of the center tunnel.
 11. Center consoleassembly according to claim 1, wherein said console includes at leastone front storage compartment accessible to front seat passengers and atleast one rear storage compartment accessible to rear seat passengersdisposed behind the front seats.
 12. Center console assembly accordingto claim 11, wherein the hollow beam cross braces are disposed betweenthe at least one front storage compartment and the at least one rearstorage compartment.
 13. Center console assembly according to claim 12,wherein the hollow beam cross braces are disposed vertically spaced fromone another.
 14. Center console assembly according to claim 1, wherein acentral tunnel with tunnel side walls is provided, and wherein thelateral side walls extend downwardly adjacent the tunnel side walls andare fixed securely thereto.
 15. Center console assembly according toclaim 13, wherein a central tunnel with tunnel side walls is provided,and wherein the lateral side walls extend downwardly adjacent the tunnelside walls and are fixed securely thereto.
 16. Center console assemblyfor a passenger motor vehicle having a pair of spaced apart front seatswhich each have seat backs with seat back side walls facing respectiveopposite lateral sides of a center console, comprising:at least onehollow beam cross brace extending between opposite lateral sides of thecenter console and serving to transfer lateral impact forces on thevehicle between the respective seat backs, wherein the lateral sides ofthe center console are formed with console side walls, wherein the sidewalls are reinforced by lightweight metal shells, and wherein thelightweight metal shells are made slightly convex and are provided withreinforcing ribs on their inwardly directed areas.
 17. Center consoleassembly for a passenger motor vehicle having a pair of spaced apartfront seats which each have seat backs with seat back side walls facingrespective opposite lateral sides of a center console, comprising:atleast one hollow beam cross brace extending between opposite lateralsides of the center console and serving to transfer impact forces on thevehicle between the respective seat backs, wherein the center consoleincludes a central storage compartment surrounded laterally by hollowspaces, wherein the hollow spaces are designed as air ducts to supply anoutlet nozzle located at the center console, wherein the hollow spacesare downwardly open, and wherein the air ducts are closed off by foambodies inserted under the hollow spaces at the bottom.
 18. Centerconsole assembly according to claim 17, wherein the foam bodies aredesigned as deflecting walls to guide air.
 19. Center console assemblyfor a passenger motor vehicle having a pair of spaced apart front seatswhich each have seat backs with seat back side walls facing respectiveopposite lateral sides of a center console, comprising:at least onehollow beam cross brace extending between opposite lateral sides of thecenter console and serving to transfer lateral impact forces on thevehicle between the respective seat backs, wherein the center consoleincludes a central storage compartment surrounded laterally by hollowspaces, and wherein walls of the hollow spaces facing the centralstorage compartment are provided with windows.
 20. Center consoleassembly for a passenger motor vehicle having a pair of spaced apartfront seats which each have seat backs with seat back side walls facingrespective opposite lateral sides of a center console, comprising:atleast one hollow beam cross brace extending between opposite lateralsides of the center console and serving to transfer lateral impactforces on the vehicle between the respective seat backs, wherein acentral tunnel with tunnel side walls is provided, and wherein thelateral sides of the center console extend downward adjacent the tunnelside walls and are fixed securely thereto.
 21. Center console assemblyaccording to claim 20, wherein the lateral sides of the center consoleare formed with console side walls, andwherein the console side wallsare reinforced by lightweight metal shells.